Randy Caravella, of Cos Cob, speaks with Theresa Linetti, an election official, at Central Middle School in 2007.

Randy Caravella, of Cos Cob, speaks with Theresa Linetti, an election official, at Central Middle School in 2007.

Photo: Helen Neafsey, GT

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This is one of the homes on Orchard Street in Cos Cob, as seen Nov. 16, 2012, that the Greenwich Reform Synagogue is hoping to buy in order to build a new facility.

This is one of the homes on Orchard Street in Cos Cob, as seen Nov. 16, 2012, that the Greenwich Reform Synagogue is hoping to buy in order to build a new facility.

Photo: DAVID AMES

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Cos Cob neighbors Anthony Lovallo, left, and Valerie Olivieri discuss the purchase of a piece of property on Orchard Street the Greenwich Reform Synagogue is hoping to build on during a meeting Friday, Nov. 16, 2012.

Cos Cob neighbors Anthony Lovallo, left, and Valerie Olivieri discuss the purchase of a piece of property on Orchard Street the Greenwich Reform Synagogue is hoping to build on during a meeting Friday, Nov. 16,

Cos Cob neighbors, from left, Nicole Cranberg Crosby, Debra Brandt and Valerie Olivieri are some of the residents who met Friday, Nov. 16, 2012, to discuss the impact the constuction of the new Greenwich Reform Synagogue on Orchard Street would have on their neighborhood.

Cos Cob neighbors, from left, Nicole Cranberg Crosby, Debra Brandt and Valerie Olivieri are some of the residents who met Friday, Nov. 16, 2012, to discuss the impact the constuction of the new Greenwich Reform

Already facing withering criticism from residents over his family's land deal with Greenwich Reform Synagogue, Randy Caravella is stepping down as head of the Cos Cob Association just days before its first major community event.

Caravella on Thursday said he was resigning because he didn't want his role to threaten the association's first annual Winter's Eve Festival, which is scheduled for Saturday.

He said he heard that residents and vendors were going to boycott the event, which will include a variety of activities, including a tree-lighting ceremony, behind the Cos Cob firehouse.

"No one told me that directly, but I understood there was a group who were not going to attend and we have vendors who said they would not come if I was a member of the association," he said in a brief interview Thursday.

Caravella, along with his father, former town Tax Collector Lou Caravella, are in the process of selling their Orchard Street properties to the synagogue, which has designs of a new 20,000-square-foot facility and parking on the combined parcels.

"I feel terrible that my involvement in those extracurricular activities has caused the association harm," he said. "There were countless hours of friends and volunteers trying to make this a community event and up until a week ago it was a community event."

In a press release issued Thursday, Caravella said he believed the synagogue's plan will be good for the neighborhood.

"These transactions have nothing to do with my role in the neighborhood association or this weekend's event," he said. "I am confident that the proposed project will be a valuable addition to the community, just as other houses of worship in residential neighborhoods across town are beneficial to their neighborhoods."

Greenwich Reform Synagogue is in contract to buy his home at 22 Osee Place and nearly an acre of his parents' property at 96 Orchard St.

The synagogue purchased 92 Orchard St. in October and wants to add the Caravellas' properties to their property in order to build a synagogue, a plan that has met vociferous community opposition.

Nicole Crosby, one of the community members opposed to the synagogue plan, said she had not heard of any talk of a boycott, but that Caravella's decision was the correct one.

"I think it is the right thing for him to do and I understand why he is doing it," she said. "I think, otherwise, there was a huge potential for conflict."

Dawn Silver, a volunteer for the association's event Saturday, said she had spoken with a few people who expressed reservations about supporting the event due to Caravella's involvement.

"I just think it was a few people choosing not to attend because of something that has nothing to do with our festival," she said. "It's sad that it has come down to this because he has put in a lot of effort. But I understand why he is doing it."

Volunteers had regular meetings in the last couple of months as they prepared for the event, Silver said.

The last time volunteers met as a group was about a week before the controversy over the synagogue proposal broke out, Silver said.

The neighborhood association's secretary, Peter Berg, said he hopes to have an election for a new executive sometime in the new year.

The Cos Cob Association was formed this summer to replace two previous community groups, the Central Cos Cob Neighborhood Association and the South Cos Cob Neighborhood Association. Berg said those associations had gone dormant.

The first Winter's Eve Festival and tree-lighting ceremony is scheduled for 4 to 8 p.m. Dec. 1. The event will include rides on an antique fire truck, pictures with Santa, face painting and arts and crafts, an outdoor home-decorating contest, a holiday boutique, live music by Huckster, caroling with the Cos Cob and North Mianus school choirs, food and drink, and a performance by local Suzuki string students at the Cos Cob Library, as well as a Boy Scouts toy and food drive. For more information, go to www.coscobassociation.com.